William Smith Medal
The William Smith, Murchison and Lyell Medals are of equal status. The Society regards them very highly and they are not normally awarded on the basis of a few good papers or achievements. In the past, Council has often looked for some breadth as well as depth in the contributions before awarding these Medals.
The William Smith Medal is awarded for contributions to applied or economic aspects of geoscience. It is named after the ‘Father of English Geology’, William Smith (1769-1839), maker of the first geological map of Britain and arguably the pioneer of applied geology.
Candidates must have made significant contributions, which will normally be published papers and verifiable achievements, in the application of geoscience, although in view of the confidential nature of the work in the case of some candidates, other criteria may be used as the basis of the award.
Past winners
2021 Philip Christie
2020 Alastair Ruffell
2019 Frances Wall
2018 Peter Dolan
2017 John Walsh
2016 Michael de Freitas
2015 Anthony Doré
2014 Peter Styles
2013 Martin Jackson
2012 William Phillip Aspinall
2011 Robert Stuart Haszeldine
2010 Henry W Posamentier
2009 Michael Russell
2008 Martin Sinha
2007 Michael Worthington
2006 Stephen Foster
2005 Robert Knipe
2004 Jeffrey Hedenquist
2003 Richard Hardman
2002 Nicholas Ambraseys
2001 Kenneth William Glennie
2000 Denys Brunsden
1999 John William Lloyd1998 Stephen Larter
1997 John Anthony Cherry
1996 Richard Henry Sillitoe
1995 John Knill
1994 Ziad Rafiq Beydoun
1993 Evert Hoek
1992 Daniel Francis Merriam
1991 William Robert Dearman
1990 Desmond A Pretorius
1989 Richard Allen Downing
1988 Peter Ziegler
1987 Robert Limon Stanton
1986 Peter Robbins Vail
1985 Peter George Fookes
1984 Bernard Pierre Tissot
1983 Roy Woodall
1982 Albert Walter Bally
1981 John Stewart Webb
1980 George Armstrong
1979 William Harry Mayne
1978 Marion King Hubbert
1977 Robert Ferguson Legget